RUFC – Head to Head v Bradford

Rotherham have a pretty good record at Bradford after 10 wins and 4 draws coming from 28 games.

Last time out was a 1-1 draw back in August 2006, and the Millers held on to a point despite losing 2 players through injury before the half hour mark was reached.Centre forward Delroy Facey was the first to go after 11 minutes, then defender Ian Sharps left the field on 28.However, Rotherham took the lead just 4 minutes later when young Striker Will Hoskins beat the advancing City keeper Donovan Ricketts to put the depleted Millers 1-0 up.The lead was held until 14 minutes from time when old Millers enemy Dean Windass struck for the hosts.Worse was to come for Rotherham when Hoskins was ordered from the field 2 minutes from time for a second bookable offence, but despite all this Rotherham took a point back to Millmoor, to leave us on minus 3 following the 10 point deduction.

Our last victory at Bradford came the season before, almost exactly 2 years ago on December 17th 2005.Rotherham entered the game with a new man in charge, as Alan Knill took over the hot-seat from Mick Harford following the latter’s axing the previous week after a 3-0 Cup defeat to Non-League Yeovil at Millmoor.This game also saw our first win in any competition for 18 games.Lee Williamson opened the scoring for Rotherham with a blistering 20 yarder after 21 minutes, and the lead was doubled on the hour mark by Striker Deon Burton with his 10th league goal of the campaign.Dean Windass (yes him again) pulled back the deficit on 77 with a penalty given for a Gregor Robertson handball, but Rotherham held on for maximum points to lift us back out of the relegation zone for the first time in a month.The massive change around in the playing staff at Millmoor is shown in the line-up that day, with not one of the starting 11 still at the club.1. Cutler2. Worrell3. Robertson4. Williamson5. Murdock6. Gilchrist7. Keane8. Mullin9. Butler10. Burton11. McLarenSubsHurstOtemebor.

Other memorable victories were the 3-0 wins in 1995 and 1992.The 1995 game was played on Easter Monday and the Millers went into an 2-0 interval lead following goals from Andy Hayward and on-loan Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Farrelly.Another on-loan player Striker Nathan Peel from Burnley completed the scoring in the second half with his 4th goal in his 6th game for Rotherham.

The 1992 encounter was played on November 28th, and the 3-0 scoreline took us into the automatic promotion places in our first season back in the 3rd tier of English Football.As in 1995, Rotherham led 2-0 at half time, this time with goals from Des Hazel and Dean Barrick.Ian Banks completed the scoring to lift us up into 3rd place.

The game to forget was obviously the 11-1 defeat in the opening League fixture of the 1928-29 season.12,356 saw this rout which still stands as City’s highest ever League victory and Rotherham’s biggest League defeat.J. Pears scored the consolation goal for the Millers in this Division 3 North fixture.